barely meaning and definition

BARELY adverb

Definition of barely (adverb)

1. only a very short time before
   • "they could barely hear the speaker"; "we hardly knew them"; "just missed being hit"; "had scarcely rung the bell when the door flew open"; "would have scarce arrived before she would have found some excuse to leave"- W.B.Yeats
   • synonyms: hardly, just, scarce, scarcely
2. in a sparse or scanty way
   • "a barely furnished room"
   • synonyms: scantily